Dr. Gary Vander Vliet stopped by the Morning Program on Friday, Feb. 3rd, to talk with Morning Mike about how dentists play a role in identifying and treating sleep apnea. Dr. Gary recently attended a conference on the subject.
Sleep Apnea is a condition where a person stops breathing while sleeping. There are a number of causes – one of the more common is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, where the upper airway is blocked. A person with sleep apnea stops breathing repeatedly while sleeping – anywhere from 10 seconds to as long as 3 minutes.
There are approximately 40 million Americans that have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. 18% of men and 8% of women suffer from some form of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
If left untreated, Sleep Apnea can result in a number of problems including high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart attack, stroke, depression, and insomnia.
Some signs and symptoms of OSA include excessive tiredness or sleepiness, loud snoring, frequent morning headaches, dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up, and excessive tooth wear.
Dentists may be able to identify a patient’s risk for sleep apnea during a routine dental exam. Many dentists, like Dr. Vander Vliet, also ask their patients to complete a short questionnaire. Based on the results, a patient may be recommended for a sleep study to analyze how many times a night they stop breathing. Possible treatments include a CPAP unit (a device which provides Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and a MAD (Mandibular Advancement Device) fabricated by your dentist.
If you’d like more information, or have questions, Dr. Gary Vander Vliet would be happy to talk with you. Visit his website, thehightechdentist.com, where you can submit a question, or call his office, Advanced Dental Care of West Morris, at 908-852-8858.
